Superintendent’s Community Update, June 18, 2021
Dear Hastings Families, Faculty and Staff,
The end of our school year is marked by celebrations that serve as a reminder of how far we’ve come. The 4th-grade and 8th-grade moving-up ceremonies occurred this week. It was heartwarming to see the happy, smiling, and maskless faces of the children, as they approached and crossed the outdoor stage on Reynolds Field, to receive their well-deserved certificates and other recognitions. The finale, next Thursday, will be the 113th graduation of Hastings High School. It has been a year that we won’t soon forget, but let us not forget that in the end, we all worked together to ensure children were able to end this school year learning together in person. I appreciate all of the efforts undertaken by the District faculty and staff, the Board of Education, families, and the students to get here.
Juneteenth Becomes a Federal Holiday
This week, Juneteenth became the 11th Federal holiday to be observed by the nation. Last year, Governor Cuomo signed legislation designating June 19th as an official public holiday in New York State. When our 2021-22 school year calendar was adopted by the Board of Education, Juneteenth was included and will be observed on June 20th, 2022 because June 19th falls on a Sunday in 2022. The historical significance of Juneteenth is that it gives our nation an opportunity to understand and come to terms with the legacy of slavery in this country. If you haven’t read Ralph Ellison’s novel entitled Juneteenth, published posthumously in 1999, or a non-fiction text written by Pulitzer Prize historian Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed, entitled On Juneteenth, I recommend both for book study selections. You’ll want to read and discuss them with others.
Retiree Recognition at June 21st Board Meeting
The June 21st Board of Education meeting is our last meeting of this school year. We will recognize employees who are retiring this year and three Board of Education Trustees whose terms end this month. A reception will take place at 6:30 pm in the Farragut Complex courtyard followed by a recognition program at the 7:30 pm Board meeting.
Your diligence in completing the daily COVID health questionnaire, checking your child’s symptoms, and following testing guidelines is greatly appreciated. While the Governor has relaxed many of the COVID restrictions, schools are still required to report positive cases and contact trace. Please continue to keep your child home if your child is awaiting the results of a COVID PCR test or if a family member develops COVID symptoms.
Our final day of school is June 25th. Thank you for your cooperation and care.
I hope you have a pleasant weekend.
Sincerely,
Valerie Henning-Piedmonte, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
